Firing mechanism



une 9, 1 59 H. c. CLAUSER ETAL 2,889,653

FIRING MECHANISM Original Filed July 29. 1952 INVENTORS HERBERT 6. GLAUSE'R 8 ROBERT 5. LONG A 7' TORNE K5 United States Patent FIRING MECHANISM 2 Claims. (Cl. 42-1 The present invention relates to firing mechanism or gunlock for a mortar and particularly to a gunlock for the mortar of a distress signal. The present invention is a division of our co-pending application Serial No. 301,524, filed July 9, '1952, now Patent No. 2,785,632.

The' breech block of the mortar is provided with a downwardly extending projection. This projection forms a support for two parallelly extending pins. A percussion 'cap is carried by the breech block. The firing mechanism comprises two pins which are carried by the aforementioned projection. A lever is carried by one of the pins; this lever includes a hammer which is arranged to engage the percussion cap; this hammer is spring-biased towards engaging position with the hammer. A trigger, including a lever, is pivotally carried by the other of said two pins; this trigger has a hook portion overlying and in slidable relationship with the first-mentioned lever. The trigger may be cocked in any suitable manner. In the instant disclosure, the trigger is cooked by pulling'on a string attached thereto. The relative positions of the levers are such that the hook portion is disengaged from the hammer lever when the trigger lever is rotated a predetermined distance.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein a preferred form of embodiment of the invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side view in elevation of the improved assembled signal;

Fig. 2 is a front view in elevation of the gunlock, showing an operator starting the cocking operation;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but showing the position of the hammer lever just prior to its being released by the trigger lever;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Figs. 2 and 3 but showing the hammer lever in released position;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on hne 5-5 of Fig. 7;

Fig. 6 is a view partly in section, the section being taken on hne 6-6 of Fig. 7 and showing the parts in i rest position;

, Fig. 7 is a bottom plan view of the mechanism; and ,Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the hammer looking upwardly and at an angle.

:I'Referring in detail to the drawings, the signal 20 includes a tube 21 which is closed at the top and at the bottom by frictionally fitting caps 22 and 23, respectively. These caps or covers are preferably formed of sheet metal. Suitable sealing material can be placed at the lips of the caps to effect a seal to prevent the egress of water.

The tube 21 is constructed, preferably, of aluminum or other suitable light weight metal, and in one form of the invention, the tube 21 is approximately 9.50 inches in length with a diameter of approximately 1.65 inches. The tube is provided at the bottom with a base 29, having a recess in the upper surface thereof Patented June 9, 1959 Ice providing a propelling charge container 30. The base is preferably formed of aluminum, and is threadedly connected to the tube as at 31. A hammer lever 33 is provided with the firing pin 40. This firing pin can be snapped against primer of percussion cap 45 mounted in the base 29 and in communication with the recess 30, by passage 56. The recess 30 is filled with a black powder, propelling charge 57.

The tube 21 together with the base 29 forms a mortar. This mortar is arranged to eject the projectile (not shown) upon the burning of the powder 57.

The base 29 forms a breech block carrying the percussion cap 45. This base is provided with two downwardly extending webs 151 arranged parallel to one another. These webs are drilled transversely to receive pins 152 and 153. A hammer lever 33 is fulcrumed on pin 153. The end of the lever carries a hammer 155 having an upwardly extending firing pin 40. This pin 40 is arranged to engage the percussion cap 45. A coil spring 158 is wound about a tube 159 carried on the pin 153. This coil spring normally urges the lever 154 in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in the the webs 151 and are notched as at 163 to form a saddle which rides upon pin 152, i.e., the notches receive the pin 152. The notches 163 extend substantially parallel to a line intersecting the axes of pins 152 and 153. The width of the ears is substantially equal to the distance between the nearest confronting peripheries of the pins so that the pin 153 prevents disengagement of the trigger lever 160 from the pin 152 until the lever 160 has moved a predetermined distance in a clockwise direction. The right end of lever 160 is in the form of a hook 164; a portion of this hook extends about the extreme right end of the lever 154 and hammer 155. The hook 164 also includes a bifurcated upper portion 166, the tines of which straddle the pin 45. The hook 164 includes bent back portions 168 and 169 complementing the tines, respectively. The double thickness of the metal, that is the portions 166, 168 and 169, when in position as shown in Fig. 5, hold the pin 40 out of engagement with the percussion cap 56. The portion 169 merges into an outwardly extending section 170 having an opening 171 for fastening a cord or cable 180.

To fire the percussion cap 45, the cord is pulled downwardly, as is seen in Figs. 2 and 3, and since the lever 160, through the hook 164, is in engagement with the upward side of the hammer 155, lever 154 will be moved downwardly i.e., in a clockwise direction about its pivot 153. Since the pivotal points of levers 154 and 160 are on different centers, the relative position of the hook 164 and the hammer 155 will change, that is the hook portion 166 will slide radially outwardly from the hammer 155. The relationship of the levers and pivots are such that when the lever 160 is moved approximately degrees the end portion 166 of the hook 164 will slide off the extreme end of the hammer 155. The lever 164 will then be under the control of the spring 158 which will move the lever 154 in a counterclockwise direction and the pin 40 of the hammer will strike the percussion cap 45 for firing the same.

The width of the ears 162 intermediate the pins 152 and 153 is such that the pin 153 prevents lateral inward movements of the lever whereby the pin and ears are maintained in fulcrum relation through the notch 163. However, after the hook slides 011 the hammer 155, at which time the notches 163 are extending upwardly, the entire lever 160 is pulled away from its pin i 3 152 (see Fig. 4). In this manner, no jerking motion will be imparted to the distress signal by the operator as he pulls on the cord to trip the trigger. In other words the operator gently pulls on the cord until the firing mechanism operates and this steady pull does'not disturb the position of the other hand of the operator who-is holding the mortar.

A semi-circular flange 173, extends about the hammer 155 and this flange 173' together with the webs '15L'provide a shield for the percussion cap which may tend to backfire. The end of the cord 1 71 is fastened to a ring 172 through which the operator manipulates the cord 171. This ring and cord may be stored within the cap 23 as is cearly shown in Fig. 5.

While the form of embodiment of the present invention as herein disclosed constitutes'a preferred form,'it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, all coming 'within the scope of the claims which-follow.

Weclaim: r

1. In combination, a breech block, having a downwardly extending projection forming a support for parallelly extending pins, a percussion cap carried by the breech block, and a firing mechanism comprising first and second'pins carried by the support, a lever pivotally carried by the first pin including 'a' hammer arranged to engage the percussion cap, a spring normally urging the hammer against the percussion cap, and a trigger including a lever having ears providing a saddle pivotally carried by the second pin, said saddle having an open end disposed on that side of the second pin opposite the first pin when the levers are in rest position, said ears extending between the first and second pins and having, a width substantially equal to the distance between the next confronting peripheral surfaces of the pins, said trigger lever having a hook portion overlying and in slidable relation with the first mentioned lever, and a cord attached to the trigger lever for moving the trigger lever about the second pin and thereby moving the first mentioned lever about the first pin, the relative positions of said first and second pins being such that the hook portion is disengaged from the first mentioned lever and the trigger lever is pulled away from the second pin when the trigger lever is rotated a predetermined distance.

2. In combination, a breech block, having a downwardly extending projection forming a support for parallelly extending pins, a percussion cap carried by the breech block; and a firing mechanism comprising first and second pins carried by the support, a lever pivotally carried by the first pin including a'hammer arranged to engage the percussion cap, a spring normally urging the hammer against the percussion cap, and a trigger including a lever pivotally mounted by means of an opening therein on the second pin, said trigger lever having a hook portion extending about the end of the first mentioned lever and overlyin'g and in slidable relation with the upper side of the first mentioned lever, the opening for the second pin in the trigger'lever being a notch formed by ears,'said notch being-aligned with the first and second pins and said ears extending between said first and second pins and having a-width substantially equal to the distance'between' the nearest confronting peripheral surfaces of the pins, and means forrnoving' the trigger lever about the second pin and thereby moving the first mentioned lever about the first pin,'the relative positions of said first and second pins being such that the hook portion is disengaged from the first mentioned lever and the trigger lever is pulled away from the second pin when the trigger lever is rotated a predetermined distance.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

